Dissertation (or A Solution to a Predicament)
by SimpsonSortia
Summary: 'Then, I believe I have a proposition. Nay, a solution to your predicament.' 'My predicament? I hadn't realised there was one.' Draco provides a welcome distraction whilst Hermione is writing her dissertation, and offers an interesting proposition for the future. A one-shot dedicated to anyone in their final year of University undergoing the misery of the dissertation zone.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the original characters or elements of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter. Anything written here is purely for entertainment and will not be making any profit.

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DISSERTATION (or A SOLUTION TO A PREDICAMENT)

**Summary**: Draco provides a welcome distraction whilst Hermione is writing her dissertation, and offers an interesting proposition for the future. A one-shot dedicated to anyone in their final year of University undergoing the misery of the dissertation zone.

**Main Characters**: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy

**Rating**: T for brief suggestive language.

**Warnings**: None.

**Genre**: Romance. One-shot.

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**'Dissertation'**

** or 'A Solution to a Predicament'**

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'Draco, that's very off-putting you know.'

Hermione Granger raised an eyebrow at the blonde-haired man sprawled across her bed.

'What? I'm not doing anything?' He replied with wide eyes, the innocence in them betrayed by his grin.

'So there's some other wizard around levitating my pen out of my hand then?'

'Maybe. Maybe Harry's sneaked in under his Invisibility Cloak for all we know.' He sat up. 'Harry? Are you here? Accio Cloak!'

She rolled her eyes and turned back to her work. 'You know full well he's undergoing his Auror training back in London.'

'This is true. Saint Potter will return with his vengeful army of Aurors and we shall fear no more!'

'Honestly Draco, it's as though the two of you are first years again.'

He chuckled and leaned back against the headboard of Hermione's standard student dormitory bed.

'Remind me again why we aren't making out?'

'Draco!' Hermione admonished. 'It's bad enough that I can't use my laptop while your waving your wand around. Do you have to distract me further? You know how important my dissertation is.'

He smiled, her urgency with her work endearing to him now, rather than the butt of his jokes as back in their Hogwarts days. He stood and leant over the back of her chair, looping his arms around her shoulders.

'And I'm sure it will be the best dissomasion Cambridge has ever seen.'

'Dissertation.' She corrected.

'Whatever. The point is, it will be brilliant and you know it.' He pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head, pleased to see the corners of her mouth lift, even at this angle. 'Now, I've spent the last two and half hours watching your scribbling down notes and flicking through reference after reference. I think it's time we go for dinner, and I mean a real dinner, not any of this college cafeteria rubbish.'

'Our cafeteria food is lovely!' She protested, but abandoned her argument after catching sight of his smirk. She sighed. 'You're right. I'm sorry, you've come all this way and I've done nothing but ignore you since you got here.'

'You haven't _completely_ ignored me…' He winked at her, grinning at the blush colouring her cheeks as she remembered their activities not long after his arrival at her University.

'Well, not completely I suppose.' She amended, gathering her notepads and highlighters.

'And we can 'not completely ignore each other' some more later, but for now, my darling witch, I seem to have worked up quite the appetite. Let's eat.' He swept his arms wide, almost hitting her lamp with the jacket he'd picked up for her.

She laughed as he held it out for her to put on, ever the gentleman. His traditional manners and etiquette had felt archaic and awkward at first, but now they seemed just another part of him, a part that she was in fact very fond of.

'Where to, my lady?' He questioned, heading for the door of her dormitory.

'Well we have The Scholarly Centaur, but I suppose we did go there last week.'

'A fine establishment,' He nodded, reminiscing over Cambridge town's answer to the Leaky Cauldron, 'but how about we head somewhere more…'

'Upmarket?' She questioned.

'Romantic, I was thinking actually Granger.' He took her hand as they headed through the hallowed corridors of St. John's College.

'Muggle or… you know…' She quietened her voice and smiled at a small group of passing students.

'I have just the place in mind.' He smiled down at her as they crossed the bridge passing over the River Cam.

They chatted amiably as they entered the town centre through the College gates, with Draco directing them towards the eateries by the river.

It was pleasantly mild for the gentle May evening, as they wandered down to the water's edge, avoiding the touts peddling their punting businesses. The continued down the boardwalk hand in hand, pressing against the wall as other couples, students and Cambridge natives passed.

They finally came to a stop at a set of steps leading up to a walled garden and a restaurant Hermione recognised.

'Here?' She asked, smiling up at the former Slytherin.

'I thought it would be nice to revisit old ground.' He smiled back, a twinkle in his eyes as he led her in through the stone archway.

Unsurprisingly quiet for a Tuesday, a waiter bid them take a seat wherever they fancied as he handed them their menus. She had been a little curious when Draco decided to take charge over their dinner plans, particularly with him still living in London whilst he underwent his Healer training and as such, not being so familiar with the streets of Cambridge.

That being said, Hermione thought, he was spending an awful lot of his free time here, it would perhaps be a little odd if he hadn't become familiar with the town.

'I can see you brain whirring, Granger,' he smiled at her across the table they'd taken outside, keen to enjoy the lovely weather.

'Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking we haven't been back here since…'

'Our first date in Cambridge.' He nodded. 'Almost three years ago. Or thereabouts.'

'Has it really been that long already?' She asked, resting her chin on her hand and gazing up at him.

'Doesn't time fly.' He replied, leaning across the table to lightly press his lips to hers.

As the waiter came over and noted down their orders Hermione couldn't help but keep stealing glances at the man sat across from her, studying the way his hair was beginning to fall into his eyes, his slender, aristocratic fingers moving as he gestured to the waiter, and his straight-backed posture.

'Hermione?'

'Yes?' She replied, dazedly drawing herself out of the swirling grey pools of his eyes.

'What would you like to eat?'

'Oh, of course. I'll have the salmon, thank you.' She passed her menu back to the waiter, a soft blush staining her cheeks once again.

Draco took her hand across the table. 'An excellent choice, as usual.'

'So how was your training today? You're not far off finishing the course now.' She asked, eager to draw the attention away from herself.

'Not bad actually, I definitely think the Granger smarts have rubbed off on me. I should finish in July with decent marks. And from there, straight to St. Mungo's.'

'Of course. You wouldn't contemplate a job elsewhere?'

'I don't think so. There's not many other Healer positions around the country, unless I wanted to be the new Madam Pomfrey. So London it is.'

'Well it sounds like a good plan. Do you know which ward you'd prefer?' Hermione asked, taking a sip of her water as the waiter arrived with their drinks and cutlery.

'I think I'm leaning towards specialising in Potions injuries. I'm quite capable in the subject already, and if all else fails and I end up like Severus I can always patch people up after the next generation of Longbottoms and Finnegans blow up the classrooms.' He grinned.

She returned his smile, looking down at their interlaced fingers.

'And what about you? Decided which offer to take yet?'

'I've definitely narrowed it down to two departments in the Ministry. I can either go high power and try to move things forward directly beneath Kingsley, or I can work my way up in Magical Creatures and get a bit more background knowledge before moving on to Law Enforcement. Of course, having taken a muggle degree here will be so immensely useful in either sector. It's a hard decision.'

'I can imagine. At least you've ruled out the Department of Mysteries and, Merlin forbid, the Daily Prophet. You'd make a terrible Rita Skeeter.'

She laughed at this. 'I don't know, becoming an Unspeakable is enticing. I just feel like I want to help change the world.'

'As if you haven't done that already.' He teased, smiling at her. They both looked up as the waiter arrived with their food. After somewhat muted conversation over delicious cuisine, with their plates empty Draco paused for a moment and cleared his throat.

'Hermione?'

'Yes, Draco?'

'Listen, I've been giving it some thought…'

'Have you? I'm pleased to see you're not just a pretty face.'

He looked sufficiently smug for a moment at her compliment, the teasing insult apparently going unheard, before taking on a more formal tone.

Hermione, realising he was serious, did the same.

'I've been thinking. About the future. Well, not so much the _future_, but the next few months at least.' He paused, clearly having some trouble putting the right words together.

She touched his hand lightly. 'Go on.'

'Well, it seems to me to make perfect sense. I think. Of course, it's entirely up to you. I wouldn't want to pressure you…'

'Draco, you're rambling.'

'Yes, I am.' His grin reappeared momentarily before focussing his attention on a knot on the surface of the table. Apparently this would be easier if said to the wood.

'Hermione, you and I, we're well suited and we've been together a while now. We have some big changes coming up in our lives, for the both of us, and you'll be graduating soon and then starting work. In London. And although apparating or flooing in and out every day isn't a problem, I was wondering perhaps if you thought that living in London would be a option for you.' He peeked up at her from beneath his golden lashes.

'Living in London? Well, I suppose it would be preferable. It would be nice to be near the centre of things, and the Wizarding community of course. And I'd really rather not move back to my parents' home - I haven't lived there properly since I was 11 after all. But the rent, Draco. London is such an expensive place to live. I'm not sure I could afford it really, even with my savings.'

'And if rent wasn't a problem?'

'If rent wasn't a problem, Draco, the world would be a very different place!' She laughed, not quite understanding where he was going, as the waiter arrived to collect their plates. Draco took her hand again.

'I'm serious. If rent wasn't an issue in the matter, would you still want to live in London?'

She looked up at him. He seemed so earnest, so open and honest, that she couldn't help but answer with her heart.

'Draco, it wouldn't matter where I lived, as long as I still get to see you.'

His answering smile lit up his eyes. 'Then, I believe I have a proposition. Nay, a solution to your predicament.'

'My predicament? I hadn't realised there was one.'

'Hermione, you'll soon be graduating, you'll be leaving student accommodation and moving into the world of work. Of course there's a predicament.' His playful tone was back.

'And your answer to this?'

'Is that you move in with me.'

She gaped at him momentarily.

'Move in with _you_?'

He faltered. 'Yes?'

'Into _your house_?

'Is there a problem with that?'

She realised that this was perhaps not the reaction he'd been hoping for. She shut her mouth.

'No. No that didn't come out right. Draco, you want me to move in with you? Into your townhouse? With the 26 bedrooms? And heated garden? And swimming pool? And bookcases everywhere?'

'Perhaps you need a floor plan. I definitely don't have 26 bedrooms.'

'Draco, be serious!'

'I am being serious. Possibly more so than I've ever been. I think it's a practical solution. You'll be near work. You'll be near your friends. You'll be near Diagon Alley. It's not even that far a drive from your parents'.

'Well, when you put it like that.'

'And most of all…' He stopped, unsure of whether to continue.

She sensed his nerves. 'Most of all?'

'And most of all, you'll be near me, Hermione.' He answered quietly.

In this one moment his bravado was gone, the hard mask he often wore dropped. And he had never looked so vulnerable. Not when he'd first asked her on a date in their retaken seventh year, not when he'd met her parents, not even when he'd walked into the Burrow for the first time.

And Hermione knew with all her heart that she could never give him up for anything.

'I think you're right. I think it's a very practical solution indeed.'

He smiled, albeit a little nervously.

'And I would very much like to be near you Draco.'

'You would?'

'Of course I would.'

He stood up next to the table, pulling her with him, before taking her hands and lips with his.

'Hermione Granger, you are marvellous.' He breathed once they'd separated.

'As are you, Mr. Malfoy. As are you.'

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**A/N: As you've probably guessed, I'm currently writing my dissertation. I have no Draco to distract me, so a hasty fanfiction has had to suffice. And as such, this is dedicated to all those in a similar predicament.**

**I've been quite intrigued by the idea of the Hermione completing a muggle degree, and felt that there was nowhere better for her than Cambridge. I'm currently studying in the town, and have not, as yet, found such a place as the Scholarly Centaur. **

**I would really appreciate your reviews and thoughts on this. And please feel free to check out my other works. Everything's on a hiatus at the moment whilst I finish 10 000 words on 'Psychoanalysis and Masculinity in David Fincher's _Fight Club_', due May 3rd. Expect updates a plenty afterwards!**


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